


never to be moved by the words of a liar

by joekavaliers



Category: Dimension 20 (Web Series)
Genre: Afterlife, Gen, post-episode 13
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-07-09
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:35:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25169290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joekavaliers/pseuds/joekavaliers
Summary: "My third wish is for you to come home."Lapin grapples with being dead, being alone, and an unwanted visitor.
Relationships: Lapin Cadbury & Jet Rocks, Lapin Cadbury & The Sugar Plum Fairy
Comments: 5
Kudos: 60





	never to be moved by the words of a liar

**Author's Note:**

> fic title from "ribs" by the crane wives. written because i miss lapin. mild spoilers for episode 13 of a crown of candy.

There were years where Lapin heard nothing from his patron other than to _sit still_ , _protect the Rocks family_ , and _be patient_. 

These years, the years where the Sugar-Plum Fairy said nothing to him, were the years that he hated the most. 

(At least, when she gave him an order, he was doing _something_. Despite his sour disposition and failing joints, he would much rather do something he hated than nothing at all.)

Every so often, when he would turn around and see that the twin princesses had departed from his classroom while he was lecturing, he would sit down, cast _unseen servant_ , and command it to move around the classroom sweeping the floors and rearranging the books. He himself would sit back and enjoy a cup of tea before Sir Theobald would arrive, and he would have to pretend that he cared about the princesses.

Lapin was not so old as to be unable to clean up his own classroom; he simply liked seeing desks move on their own and windows get cleaned through no effort of his own. Having an unseen servant reminded him that his life was still his own. He was a servant of his patron, but _look_ , he could have a servant of his own, too. His life was still his own, and the Sugar-Plum fairy could never take that away from him.

(The Sugar-Plum Fairy could not— _would not_ —kill him, but she would take away his years. There was a time where Lapin Cadbury was simply a charlatan, good at conning stupid peasants and even stupider nobles out of their gold with his sleight-of-hand tricks and a silver tongue. He thought that he would one day earn enough money to retire anonymously. Maybe he'd invest the money, become a merchant, start a family, and die of old age. Maybe he'd have a change of heart and become a pious man. Maybe he'd become famous. There was a whole world of possibilities open to him when the Sugar-Plum Fairy first came to him.) 

(The Sugar-Plum fairy could not kill him, but she could, as sure as the light of the Bulb shines upon Calorum, lead him to his death.)

_"My third wish is for you to come home."_

Lapin had gone into the other world without argument, clutching the peppermint piglet that the little Wilhemina boy sent to him in his final moments. He had never cared too much for the boy or the pig during his life. Now, however, as he stroked the pig's soft fur, Lapin felt a warmth in his chest at the idea that there was somebody out there who didn't want him to die alone.

As the Sugar-Plum fairy walked him through her land, he saw the late Rocks sisters out of his peripheral vision.

"Thank you for protecting our brother," Sapphria and Citrina said as he passed by them.

"Thank you for protecting Jet and Ruby," said Rococoa and Lazuli. 

He nodded graciously at them, too focused on the beauty of the other side to form words.

The afterlife was a work of art. The sky was pale pink, with swirling purple clouds. In the distance, he heard the screams of beasts he thought were only legends. His walk was lined with sweet-smelling flowers, varieties that he thought had long gone extinct in Calorum. 

The Sugar-Plum fairy led him to a small cottage: just four walls for a single large room, but peering through the windows, Lapin could see a fireplace, a small kitchen, and a large bed.

"I'm sure this will suffice?" the Sugar-Plum fairy nodded. "I hope it's better than your cold castle quarters."

"This will be fine," Lapin said. Almost reflexively, Lapin moved his wrist, and uttered the command, "Clean up."

Nothing.

"Oh, _sorry,"_ the Sugar-Plum fairy said, her voice saccharine-sweet. "I thought you wouldn't need your powers and your little unseen servant here. But _I guess_ you can have them, after all you've done for me." She leaned forward and planted a kiss on his cheek; almost immediately, Lapin felt his powers return to him.

As the days passed, Lapin settled into his new dead existence. At first, he completely ignored the pig. However, when he got bored of reading books and staring out the window all day, he started trying to get the pig to listen to him. Sure, the thing wasn't nearly as reliable as his mage hand or his unseen servant, but it was a bit funny seeing the small creature's butt wiggle back and forth as he went to fetch Lapin's scrolls.

One day, there was a knock on the door. 

"Jet?" Lapin asked incredulously when he opened it. "I didn't realize you were dead."

"I've been dead for three days," Jet said, walking in and sitting at one of his dining chairs. Despite his only companion in the afterlife being Preston, he had two chairs at his dinner table. It felt less lonely.

"What happened?" Lapin said. He made his way over to the kitchen and began pouring them both some tea.

"Stabbed by some _fucking_ Ceresians in the lingerie shop."

"You need to stop sneaking out."

"Give me _one_ reason—"

"I see Theo's taught you well," Lapin said, placing a cup of tea in front of Jet. "Why are you here now?" 

"I've been hanging out with my aunts since I died, and I just..."

"Guilt?"

Jet shrugged. "If I'd just said no, then Ruby and Liam and my dad and my mom, they wouldn't be so—"

"It does not do one well to dwell on what-ifs." Lapin sipped his tea. "Why are you really here?" 

"Do you trust the Sugar-Plum Fairy?"

"I have no love for her, and she has never trusted me enough to reveal her endgame." Lapin sighed. "Why do you ask?"

Jet swallowed. "I'm worried about Ruby. The Sugar-Plum Fairy's got her going to the Stone Candy mountains, and I don't know _why_ or what's gonna happen."

"The Sugar-Plum Fairy asked me to make sure you were all safe. I'm inclined to believe she wouldn't abandon that just because I'm dead or you're dead."

"But why?" Jet asked. "Why does she care?" 

Lapin laughed. "How should I know? I just did her dirty work." 

"Did she care about you?"

"I was her favorite servant," Lapin said. "How did _you_ treat your servants?" 

Jet took a sip of her tea. "What does she want?" 

"I'm not sure," Lapin admitted. "There's a difference between wanting someone safe and wanting the best for them." 

The pig— _Preston,_ that was his name—came over to Jet and began nuzzling at her leg. Jet picked it up and began stroking it. 

"I should probably get going," Jet said. Lapin nodded. Not one for goodbyes, he took Jet's cup and began cleaning up. When he turned around, she was gone.

Despite both of them, she kept coming back every day. Lapin was not so arrogant to believe that she was there for him; instead, she came to play with Preston. Apparently, when she watched over Ruby, she saw Liam, too, and she spent an hour or so each day updating Preston on whatever Liam was doing. Lapin often eavesdropped. Apparently, the young boy had become quite the killer.

Lapin began setting out food for Jet when this became a pattern. He would never admit out loud that he liked her presence, but he did enjoy the hour or so each day where he was not alone.

Jet disappeared during the middle of one of her visits, mid-word. One moment, she was telling Preston about her new sister, and Lapin had been preparing a lovely pudding, and the next moment, she was gone. Jet had a tendency to slip out, but she would never do so mid-story. 

"Where is she?" Lapin yelled. 

A light breeze came through the open window of his cottage, and with it, a voice. _I'm sorry, my little bunny. I need her right now._

"For what?"

Nothing.

Lapin sighed and made a mental note to acquire some more teacups. If he was right, there would be many more people coming for tea in the future. 

**Author's Note:**

> find me on twitter @sofiabikes and on tumblr @psychepng


End file.
